


The Witch I Used to Know

by Book_Belle99



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Twilight References, Witchcraft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:46:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29843766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_Belle99/pseuds/Book_Belle99
Summary: Edward Cullen lived a very happy life. He had loving parents, many siblings, and he was an immortal super-human. What more could a 17-year-old boy want? But all that changed when he had a vision of a young girl sitting in a field of flowers. This girl would change his life, forever.
Relationships: Edward Cullen/Bella Swan
Comments: 7
Kudos: 6





	1. Mystery Girl

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Twilight fanfic! I'm really excited and I hope y'all like it!

I felt adrenaline coursing through my body as I sped after the giant elk running through the forest. The trees whizzed by in a blur as I sped up to catch my prey. I hadn’t hunted in more than two weeks and my thirst was beginning to be unbearable. Just as I was about to make the fatal strike, I fell to the floor in agony. My head felt like it was made of fire, it burned as if I was transforming again. I squeezed my eyes shut to block out the pain, but when I opened them, I was somewhere else entirely. The pain was gone, and I was standing in a field; the trees lining it seemed to make a perfect circle. A girl was sitting in the middle of the meadow with a book on her lap. I tried to see what was in front of her, but my vision got hazy when my sight moved away from her. All I could see was the back of her head, long dark brown hair cascading down her shoulders. She seemed to be waving her arms around, but I couldn’t tell. I tried to get closer, but my legs wouldn’t move. I felt a deep need in my soul to touch her, even just her hair. I pulled at my legs with all my strength, but they were as still as marble. I reached out to touch her, calling out. She seemed to hear me; she turned to look in my direction, but before I could see her face, I found myself back on the forest floor. 

Shaking my head, I stood up in confusion. There goes my lunch. The elk I was chasing was long gone. But I couldn’t get the image of that girl out of my head. That burning need to touch her remained. Pushing aside my thirst, I sprinted back towards my home in Anchorage, Alaska. Carlisle, my father of sorts, would know what to do. I slowed to a normal human pace as I reached the front door. I could hear his thoughts coming from his study. He was reading the latest medical journal. I gave Esme, my adopted mother, a swift nod as I passed her and rapped quickly on the study door. “Come in,” Carlisle called. 

“Hello,” I greeted him as I entered, “Carlisle, I had a bit of a problem when I was out hunting earlier.” 

He put down his magazine and turned to face me, his deep gold eyes were curious. I quickly recounted everything that happened while I was out. He looked out the window in thought. 

“I’m not familiar with anything like that, I’m afraid.” He stood still as a statue as he gazed out at the snow-covered forest. “I have a couple of theories, but nothing concrete. Give me a day or two to research, and I’ll let you know if I find anything.” 

He turned to smile reassuringly at me, “Now go back out and get something to eat. It doesn’t seem like anything to worry about at the moment.” I nodded my thanks as I dashed out of the house once more.

***  
The girl in the meadow was all I could think about for the rest of the week. I barely paid attention in my classes at school, not that it matters; I already have two medical PHDs. I wondered who she was, where she was from, and most importantly, why did I see her? Try as I might to put her from my mind, I couldn’t stop myself from remembering the sunny meadow. I had to get there somehow. Carlisle thought he found a clue, but he was skeptical of its validity. He thought that maybe I had a vision of my own, like my sister Alice. He read that sometimes vampires could get visions of their futures if something drastically important were to happen. Neither of us believed that, though. Carlisle has been around for many years, he even lived with some of the oldest vampires in the world for a time, and he had never heard anything like that happen before. Researching it further lead to dead end after dead end, but I was hopeful I’d find something soon. I kept searching for clues of my own but wasn’t hopeful. 

After reading what seemed like a million articles on vampire visions, I decided to take a break and play the piano downstairs for a little while. Rosalie and Emmet were cuddled up on the couch watching a football game, everyone else was out hunting. 

“Do you mind if I play for a while? I don’t want to interrupt.” I asked as I sat on the piano bench. ‘Nope, we aren’t paying attention to the game anyway.’ I rolled my eyes at Emmet. He and his sometimes-wife could be disgusting at times. I elected to ignore them and pushed their thoughts to the back of my mind. I started my rendition of Claire de Lune from memory. I added my own flourishes, getting completely lost in the music. All my stress and worries melted away as my fingers danced over the keys in perfect harmony. That is until my head started burning in pain again. “Edward!” I heard Rose yell as I blacked out.

And just like that, I was in the meadow again. The girl was still there, this time standing and looking at me. 

“Can you hear me?” I asked her. My voice echoed like I was in the middle of a cavern, and not the woods. I was still unable to move closer, much to my annoyance. 

“Yes,” She called in an equally resounding voice, “Who are you?” I tried to read her thoughts, get some answers, but I couldn’t hear anything but my own. Maybe that’s the result of this...vision, thing. 

“My name is Edward Cullen, who are you?” I asked in response. A small smile broke upon her face. 

“I’m Bella Swan!” She yelled in excitement. “Do you really see me?” She looked absolutely giddy and I couldn’t help but feel some of her elation. “Yes, I do. What’s going on? How is this happening?” As I was speaking, the edges of my vision were turning black. 

The girl, Bella, looked panicked. “Come find me, Edward, please!” She asked in despair, “I live in Fo-” But before she could finish, I was on the floor in my own house next to my piano. 

“Oh, Edward, what happened?” Rose was holding my head an inch off the floor, Emmet sitting beside her. I groaned as I sat up and rubbed my temples. 

“What happened?” I asked. “You were playing your little song one second, and the next you passed out. Rose caught you before you hit the floor and then you instantly woke up,” Emmet explained, “What happened, bro?” They looked me over in concern.

“I-I think I had a vision? Sort of?” I stammered, “I need to talk to Alice. I’m fine, really. Please, go back to your game.” 

I stood up and was back in my room before they could answer. Their thoughts were filled with concern for my wellbeing, but I was quite sure that I was okay. I still had more questions, but I at least had one answer. I needed to find out who this Bella Swan was.

“Alice, I have a problem,” I hurriedly explained my vision to her, “What does this mean? Can you see anything?” 

“It’s all hazy, you’re changing your mind every five seconds! Pick something and breathe,” She waved me off as she started pacing the room. Taking a steady breath, sat down at her desk and went over all my options. I could google ‘cities that start with Fo’ but that would lead me nowhere. I could try to have another vision, but I don’t even know how the last two happened. One thing was certain, I was going to find this girl.

“Ah-ha!” Alice’s yell startled me out of my reverie, “Forks! She lives in Forks!” Images of a small rainy town flashed through her mind. 

“Where is it?” Spinning the chair around and pulling up the browser, I typed in ‘Forks, USA’ as fast as I could. The first result was for a hotel in Forks, Washington. Without a word, Alice handed me her wallet and I booked a nice room at Woodland Inns for tomorrow. 

“As soon as you made up your mind to find her I saw you crossing the town line. I’ll keep checking on you and let you know if I find anything more.” She squeezed my shoulder lightly before she sauntered out of the room. Before the sun had fallen, my bag was packed, my goodbyes were bid, and I was running out of Anchorage.

***  
I made it to the sleepy town in less than an hour. After finishing off a few deer I found nearby, I checked in to my hotel and set up my laptop. It was so much easier to find people in the phonebook, why did they ever do away with that? I pulled up White Pages and searched up Bella Swan. No results. That was a waste of five bucks. She had to be here somewhere! Maybe someone in town knows her. I’ll just go to a local diner and listen around; hopefully, someone will think of something useful for once. I perused the pamphlet left on the dresser and found The Lodge. It looked nice enough.

When I got there, the hostess couldn’t stop staring at me. I’ve gotten used to it over the years, but it was still rude. I tried my best to ignore her thoughts as she led me to my table. She was very intrigued that I was alone and hoped I would ask her when her shift ended. I smiled at her politely and pretended to browse the menu. It was difficult to pull apart the thoughts and spoken words from everyone in the restaurant. Most of them were just the usual dull monotony of life. 

I perked up when I heard an old man across the way speak, “Bella has been dying to see Jacob. Are you sure he’s still sick? It’s been two months!” Glancing in the direction of the voice, I noticed an old man in a wheelchair talking to a younger man with a mustache. 

“I’m sorry Charlie, there isn’t much I can do. Forks hasn’t had a good doctor in years, not since Dr. Whale retired.” My eyes focused on the younger man. He was in a police uniform and his tag read ‘Sherrif Swan’. Eureka!

A waiter came up and asked me what I would like. I picked some random slab of meat and he left to place my order. I never took my focus off the two men. They drabbled on and on for over an hour talking about sports, the weather, fishing. Finally, the old man, Billy, mentioned that he needed to rest and check on his son. I flagged down the waiter and paid, silently following after Sheriff Swan. 

I ran through the trees next to his police car as he drove down the winding roads. I watched as he turned down a residential street and decided to wait for nightfall. His cop car would be easy enough to spot. I would finally meet the elusive Bella Swan.


	2. The Monster Within

The sun was glowing orange behind the little house, fading away into the ground. I entertained the idea of just knocking on the door and introducing myself, but I couldn’t think up a good enough lie to tell her father. After all, some strange boy coming to his house after dark asking for his daughter wouldn’t look very good at all. I decided to wait until she was in her room, then I would knock on her window and speak to her. Her room wasn’t hard to find. Even from where I stood at the edge of the forest I could see her dresser with little drawings of horses and flowers from years past taped to the sides. 

I watched the room carefully, waiting for any sign of movement. I couldn’t hear her thoughts, but her father’s were strictly on the baseball game he was engrossed in. I didn’t like not being able to hear her. It felt unnatural; not like reading minds was oh so natural, to begin with. Yet still, I could barely remember a time I wasn’t able to hear everyone’s innermost desires and fears. I felt vulnerable in not knowing her next move. This girl was strange and fascinating and every part of me longed to know more. She was the greatest mystery I’ve ever read. I was going to crack her code and figure out what made her so special.

I was so lost in thought I almost didn’t realize the light in her room turned on. The soft yellow glow coming from her window beckoned to me, daring me to unravel the secrets held inside. The sheriff was still watching his baseball game. It was only the second inning so he wouldn’t be done for a while. Something told me he wasn’t a man who could be easily distracted from his favorite pastime. Sneaking across the empty space between the forest and Bella’s window, I kept an eye out for anyone watching. I leaped up onto the roof outside her window and landed with a small thud. I could hear her humming to herself as she sat at her desk studying something. 

Not wanting to startle her, I decided against knocking on the window and called out to her instead. Humans felt more at ease when they heard their own names. I harshly whispered her name multiple times before she perked up. She closed the book she was pouring over and spun to face me. Her brown eyes widened as they met my gold ones. She glanced at her door, then back at me, a grin slowly spreading across her face. She was dazzling! I waved at her and she blushed. The blood that pooled into her cheeks made me salivate, but I pushed the thought down as I always did. 

She hurriedly stumbled over the clutter on her floor and locked the door before she came over to open the window. Her eyes held a million questions. The locks on the windows clicked as she pushed them aside. Her muscles strained ever so slightly as she pushed up on the pane. The second the window released from its position, a smell so strong and powerful hit me so hard I almost lost my balance and fell off the roof. The burn in the back of my throat was unbearable. The scent was tantalizing and torturous! I couldn’t hold myself back. I needed to kill her, now, right now, before I could talk myself out of it. 

I lost control. The window was fully open now. I sprang in and pushed her against the wall. Her soft warm arms burned into my skin as I held them tightly. She gasped and the smell of her breath drove me mad. I felt like a newborn, I was in such a complete frenzy I couldn’t think of anything but the burn in my throat and the thirst I needed to quench. Every second that went by without her blood in my mouth felt like dying all over again. As I was leaning in to take that first sweet bite, I looked into her eyes. Terror shone through loud and clear. The part of me that I had kept hidden for so long took a step back. 

Could I really betray Carlisle and all he’s taught me? Could I give in to the monster within and lose my true sense of self? My soul was already damned, did I have to make it even worse than I had in my past? She wasn’t a killer, nor a rapist, nor a pedophile. She was a sweet innocent girl who had called to me for help. If I killed her I would be no better than those I’ve killed before in the name of justice. I could feel the two halves of my life warring inside me. The sound of her heartbeat was deafening. Get a grip on yourself, Edward! She’s just a girl! Be strong, remember who you truly are. What I am is a monster. You’re better than that. Carlisle always told you you can be better. He forgave you for killing evil, could he ever forgive you for killing innocence? How could face him and your family knowing what you’ve done? They would ask about it. They already know. Alice was sure to have seen it and told them all. 

Bella’s chest rose and fell quickly as she breathed. Her eyes swam with fear and heartbreak. “Edward,” She said softly, “What are you doing?” What was I doing? I’m better than this. I refuse to betray myself and my family. The monster in me screamed in rage as I dropped my hands and took a step back, giving her space. “I’m sorry Bella, I have to go. Find me again.” She took a step towards me, but I ran out the window as fast I could and back towards my home. 

The burning never left my throat. All I could see as I ran was her terrified face accusing me. All the questions we had would remain unanswered. I couldn’t go home, not yet. Not after what I’ve almost done. I couldn’t bear to see the ashamed looks and hear their betrayed thoughts. I changed course and instead ran East. I needed to be alone for a while.

***  
“We’re here for you Edward, it’s okay. Please come home; I miss my son” Esme’s worried voice chimed in through the phone. 

“We can help you. It’s been two months. Have you had any more visions?” Carlisle asked. I huffed and replied, “No, and I don’t think I ever will again. I scared her beyond repair. Every time I close my eyes I see her face. Every time I take a breath, I smell her scent. No matter how much I hunt, I’m always thirsty for her blood. It will take decades to get this need out of my system. Decades or…” I trailed off, shuddering at the thought. I never meant to hurt her. I only wanted answers. I hoped she was able to find someone else to help her, someone less dangerous. But a small part of me felt like I had made the biggest mistake of my life. The small part of me I tried desperately to push away longed to hold her. I couldn’t explain it. I wanted to kill her and make love to her. I didn’t even know her! 

“You’re right Esme, I’ve been gone long enough. If I haven’t gotten over it by now, there’s no point in staying in Chicago. I’m coming home.” I bid my parents goodbye and packed my bag again. I slung my backpack over my shoulders and left my hotel room behind. I spent the last two months distracting myself. Now it was time to sit down and figure out how to fix things. As I walked down the dark streets of my home city I thought about my real parents. The home we had lived in has long been torn down. The hospital they died in had been modernized and expanded. My mind back hazy memories of walking down this same road; shops lining the street, women waving at me politely, men sitting in rocking chairs reading the daily paper. The clop of horses’ hooves on the pavement filled the air and stirred up dust. I much preferred that version of Chicago from the dirty, noisy city it was now. 

I wished not for the first time that I remembered my mother’s face. Carlisle told me I had her eyes and have the same color hair. What features did I inherit from my father? I tried to imagine what the three of us looked like together. What would I look like with green eyes? It may have changed, but being here made me feel closer to them. I decided to pay my respects one last time before I went home. I stopped off at the Chicago graveyard and wandered back past the rows and rows of current graves. A lot of the pandemic victims were buried in mass unmarked graves, but since we were wealthier than most, my father had bought a plot of land for himself and Mother long before they got sick. The giant shared tombstone glinted in the light of the setting sun. Ironically, it reminded me of my own skin, smooth as marble, cold, and shiny. 

‘Edward Masen beloved husband, father, and philanthropist.’ ‘Elizabeth Masen beloved wife, and mother.’ The flowers I had left a week prior covered part of the Bible verse etched beneath their names. It was my mother’s favorite, she would recite it to me every night before she sent me off to bed, even as a young man. Kneeling down, I pushed the red blooms to the side and read it again. ‘2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.’ 

What would she think of her son now? A son whose soul was damned to Hell, a son who’s killed. She thought this verse would bring those who mourned her comfort as it brought her when my grandmother died. I only remember this from reading her journal. When I got control of my thirst and came back for my inheritance, it was among her things. I kept it secretly hidden in my room, one small piece of my former life. My mother was a devout Christian woman, very active in her church. She often wrote about me. How proud she was of me and what she hoped I would become one day. “I haven’t forgotten Mother. I’ll find a way to make things better. I want to make you proud despite what I am.” I touched the gravestone tentatively before I stood and turned my back on my past, starting to walk towards my future. Forever is a long time and I refuse to spend it feeling sorry for myself the whole time. 

I’ve been warring with the monster within me for nearly a hundred years now, it’s time I set my resolve and overcome it. I was going to control my thirst and go back to Bella. I needed to make amends for how I treated her and figure out what’s making me so desperate to be near her. I needed to find a way to get closer to Forks so I could see her again without being so terribly far away from my family. If I was going to figure out what Bella needed from me, I needed my family close by to keep me in check. And I think I may have the perfect answer!


	3. Answers

“You want us to do what?” Rosalie scowled at me after I finished telling everyone my plan. I knew she would be the one to have the most objections. 

“It makes sense,” I defended, “Alice and I just ‘graduated’ college last year. We couldn’t stay here much longer anyway. Carlisle is supposed to be almost fifty, but look at him! He barely looks older than you! It’s not the first time we’ve moved and it won’t be the last, however, this is the first time I’m asking this of you as your brother.” I glanced around the room at my family, all of them lost in thought. Carlisle’s thoughts agreed with me, he had been planning to move soon anyway. Rosalie was worried about not being married to Emmett yet again. They only just got back from their honeymoon six months ago. Alice and Esme were excited at the thought of decorating a new house and Jasper was worried about having to suffer through high school again. Emmett didn’t really care either way, but he was on his wife’s side regardless. 

Rose’s temper was rising and she was about to start yelling at me before a sudden calm fell upon the room. I glanced over at Jasper and he thought, ‘Yelling won’t solve anything. We need to be rational about the pros and cons of everything.’

“Thank you, Jasper,” Rose leaned against Emmett and looked up at the ceiling. “I just want to live my life,” She whispered. Emmett wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. Every time she made that face, all of our metaphorical hearts broke. 

“You could start your own coven. Just pretend that Carlisle is your cousin or something,” I knew she would never agree, but the thought’s been in her head for years. She didn’t feel like she and Emmett were strong enough to be on their own yet. She just gave me a sad smile and shook her head. ‘Those aren’t the kind of kids I want. I don’t want a coven, I want a family. I want a baby.’ She sighed, “Okay, Edward. You’re right. Time is running out for us here anyway.” 

I looked to Carlisle and he nodded. “It’s settled then. I’ll apply to Forks hospital in the morning.” He gave me a knowing look, “It’s apparently about time they had a good doctor in town.”

***  
To nobody’s surprise, Carlisle was hired the same day he applied. They were even more desperate for a competent doctor than I knew. Before the week was out, our house was sold and we had a new one on the outskirts of Forks. A nice place, hidden between the trees with lots of windows. Carlisle enrolled us in Forks High and we would start on Monday. Our caravan of cars drove up the long dirt road and the new house came into view. I parked my silver Volvo behind Rose’s red convertible. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and turning the house into our new home. Superhuman speed does have its advantages at times. In no time at all, I was placing the last CD on my shelf. 

I sat down on my couch and stared outside at the rain falling onto the treetops. My thoughts wandered to Bella, wondering what she was doing and if she was even still thinking of me. It was strange, the way I felt about her. I felt a primal need to protect her from the world. It’s insane, given the fact that I also want to kill her and drink her blood. I felt a fondness for her that I couldn’t explain. She was a stranger to me, I had only ever spoken two or three sentences to her. She should mean nothing to me, yet it felt like my existence depended on seeing her again. 

I’ll admit, it got lonely sometimes. It was hard seeing and hearing Carlisle and Esme, Jasper and Alice, Emmett and Rosalie all the time. They each had someone. Yes, they all loved me, but not like they loved each other. I tried to fall in love several times, but it’s not something I could just force to happen. I wished I could find a mate as they all had, but it’s never been a priority for me. I’ve mainly been focusing on my studies and learning as much as I could about the world around me. I found it all fascinating and wanted to take advantage of being an immortal. But was all this knowledge worth it if I had no one to share it with? Is this why I’ve been so attached to the idea of Bella Swan? I don’t know. I have more questions than answers. I wanted to seek Bella out immediately, but it was best to wait for Monday. I would see her at school and with an audience around I hoped it would be easier to control myself. It was only two more days, I could survive that long.

***  
Monday morning, we all gathered up our school things and piled into my Volvo and I drove us to our new school yet again. I was already bracing myself for the endless thoughts of questions I would be hearing for the next few days. The novelty of being a new student got tiresome very quickly after going to high school for the fifth or sixth time. However, today was different than most of my first days. Today, I was looking forward to seeing the strange girl from my visions. I had been preparing myself for her scent since I decided to come back to Forks. Last night I had hunted for several hours and ate way more than usual to quell my endless thirst. 

Not being able to hear Bella’s thoughts posed a problem. I couldn’t find her until it was time for lunch. She liked to keep to herself and no one had thought of her in passing the whole morning. My siblings and I walked into the lunchroom and all eyes were on us. Thoughts swirled around, not all of them I wanted to hear. I brushed them off like normal. I scanned the room for Bella and saw her sitting by herself in the farthest corner of the room. We locked eyes and hers widened in surprise. She glanced towards the door, no doubt planning a swift escape. Ignoring Rose’s glare and threatening thoughts, I walked over to her quicker than I normally would to prevent her from leaving. 

The chair next to her made a horrible scraping noise as I sat down beside her. “Hello Bella,” I greeted sheepishly, “I’m terribly sorry for being so rude last time we met. I’m Edward Cullen.” I offered her my hand, but she didn’t take it. She eyed me up and down warily as if expecting me to attack again. Her smell sent that familiar burning in the back of my throat to a frenzy, but I was able to ignore it this time. I lowered my hand and spoke again, “I want to make amends. You called out to me for help of some sort and I messed up. I’ve since gotten ahold of myself and I truly do want to help. I understand if you don’t want to speak to me, but I’m not leaving Forks again. There’s something about you Bella Swan, and I have every intention of figuring out what that is, one way or another.” I was about to get up to rejoin my family when I felt her warm hand on my arm, stilling me. The emptiness and desire I’ve been feeling for the past two months vanished at her touch. I felt whole and complete like all was right in the world. I settled back in the chair and met her eyes once more. 

“Don’t go,” She started, “I don’t know what happened the other day, but whatever it was, it’s okay. You can stay.” She gave me a warm smile that could have lit up the entire room. “The past is the past,” She said, “We can talk about that later. We have more important things to talk about. Will you meet me by my truck after school? It’s the only janky red one in the parking lot.” She chuckled and the sound reminded me of the wind chimes Esme used to hang on our front porch before they got too rusty. I nodded then asked, “What classes do you have the rest of the day?” She swallowed the bite of pizza she had taken and replied, “Biology. It’s not my favorite, but it’s easy for me so that’s good at least.

“Lucky us, I happen to have biology next too.” We made small talk for the rest of lunch, not wanting to draw much attention to our conversation. Everyone was still staring and whispering about it. Almost everyone in the room was thinking the same thing; ‘what was the new boy doing with shy little Bella?’ ‘Do they already know each other?’ Humans were so nosy and loved being in other people’s business. It was quite annoying.

Bella and I just happened to become biology partners, which was convenient. She was amazingly brilliant for this being her first time in the course, she got every answer right. The rest of the day sped along quickly, I barely paid any attention to my classes. I knew more than these little small-town teachers anyway. When the final bell rang, I rushed to the parking lot as fast as I humanly could. Bella was already leaning against the bed of her truck, tapping her foot to whatever music she was listening to through her headphones. She looked up and saw me coming. I waved to her and picked my pace up to a light jog. She pulled an earbud out and greeted me.

“What are you listening to?” I asked curiously.

“Sufjan Stevens. Have you heard it before?” I shook my head no and she offered the earbud to me. It was a soft melody with a man singing calmly about sad topics. I actually enjoyed it and made a mental note to pick up a CD on the way home. This girl had good taste. 

“I like it. It makes me feel calmer somehow, despite the lyrics.” I mused, “Now, what did you want to talk about?” 

“Not here,” She motioned with her chin to her car, implying I get in.

“I drove my siblings here today, let me give my brother my keys. I’ll find a way home, don’t worry.” I yelled to Jasper who was waiting by my Volvo with the rest of them. I tossed him the keys and he caught them without batting an eye. 

“This thing won’t fall apart as we go will it?” I teased. She just rolled her eyes and walked over to the driver’s side. As we drove along in silence, she started the conversation. It was time for both of us to get answers. 

“What the hell was that all about in my room?” She cut to the chase.

“I must apologize, Bella, but I can’t fully explain that. The best I can do is say I lost control for a bit, but that it will never happen again, I swear it.” She didn’t seem happy with that answer, but she dropped it. Her pursed lips hinted at that question coming up again later. 

“How did you…” I struggled to find the right words, “Find me? In those visions, I mean.” 

She pondered my question for a few moments then stated, “I was looking for you. Well, not you specifically, but someone like you. You just happened to be the lucky winner!” I was still confused and was about to ask her to elaborate when she said, “We’re here!” The truck groaned to a halt and the brakes squealed in protest as she pulled off the side of the road. She hopped out, slung her bag over her shoulder, and motioned for me to follow her. We walked uphill on a winding trail until we came to a clearing. I quickly noticed it was the same field from my visions. It was even more beautiful in person!

She sat crossed-legged in the middle of the circle of trees and patted the ground next to her. I sat beside her gracefully. “Well Edward, this is where the magic happens; literally I mean. You see,” She grunted softly as she pulled a large book out of her backpack, “I’ve been practicing it here.” My eyes widened in surprise. It never occurred to me that she was a witch. Should that really be so shocking though? I mean, I exist, so why couldn’t she? 

The book she had pulled out was bound in aged brown leather with gold metal holding the spine and corners in place. In the middle was a gilded tree surrounded by a circle of silver flowers. She opened the book up to a weathered page covered in Latin, the one language I never saw a need to learn. 

“This is a spell to find the person who is my perfect match,” She ran her fingers tenderly over the page. “It’s really a last resort. I just don’t want to be alone. You see, my dad, he’s-” Her eyes welled with tears and she unsuccessfully blinked them away. “That doesn’t matter right now,” She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders, “The point is, I’ve been taking care of someone for my entire life. First Renee, my mom, and then Charlie. I’m almost 18 and I’ll be all alone soon. I’m not scared of much, but the thought of having no one to take care of and live life with is terrifying.

“I’ve never been good at making friends. My magic is all I have but my magic isn’t all I want out of life,” She continued, “I cast this spell to find the person who could be by my side for the rest of my life. It’s a soul-tying spell. You see this right here?” She pointed to a large rune at the top of the page, “That’s what gave us the power to speak before you found me. Let me show you.”

She chanted a series of words in Latin and waved her hand over the rune repeatedly. As she chanted, both the rune and her hand started glowing with a bright blue light, then suddenly, I was in the same field, but standing, and I couldn’t move again. I knew this was another vision. “See?” She asked, “I can’t hold it for very long though. I’m not strong enough to keep the connection going.” I blinked and I was lying on my back, my vision returned to normal.

“That’s fascinating,” I marveled at her power. She could be stronger than me if she really wanted to be. “Tell me more. What’s a soul tie?”

“Well, a soul tie is sorta like a soulmate. It’s your one true perfect match. The magic in this world that binds all things together makes a perfect half to every person. Not everyone can find their other person, that’s why the world can be so cruel. The witches found a way to crack the code. They developed a way to find your perfect other half and tie them to your soul. You were already destined to be together, it just gave them more of a hint. By giving you your visions I was able to talk to you and let you know that I exist. The second you saw me, our souls got tied together, so to speak, and you would never feel whole again until you found me.

“It sounds worse than it actually is,” She rubbed her neck sheepishly, “I felt the same longing to be with you that I assume you felt about me. It ensured that you would do whatever it takes to find me. But now, I have a question for you, and this time I need a straight answer. When you, well, attacked me, you know, the other day, why? That really scared me. I thought I must have done something wrong and instead of being my perfect partner I made you my perfect enemy!” The confusion and hurt in her face were evident.

“Bella,” I began, “I can’t tell you the whole truth. Please, trust me.” I took her hands in mine, imploring her to just accept it, though I knew that wouldn’t happen. “There are things about me that I can’t tell you. If what you’re saying is true, this is actually very complicated. I don’t even have a soul! Or at least, I thought I didn’t. Listen, Bella, I’m dangerous, especially to you. That’s why I went away for so long. But I got control of myself. It will never, ever happen again. Thank you for explaining what happened. I’m truly, deeply sorry that I can’t show you the same courtesy. I’m sure you’ll find out eventually anyway, however, that day needs to be put off for as long as possible.” I felt horrible about not telling her, but if the Volturi ever found her...I didn’t let my mind go that far. I would protect her at the cost of my own life.

“I’ll let it go for now, but don’t think this is the end of that conversation. I want to get to know you.” She laid down on the soft grass and pulled me down with her. We lay like that until long after dark, the soft blue glow of her magic lighting up our hidden circle and we talked. She asked me about my family, my likes, my dislikes, my hobbies. I asked her all the same questions, really enjoying getting to know her. As the stars lit up the sky high above us, the conversation finally lulled. We stared up at the constellations for a while before she mentioned that she had to get home to her father. It was so easy talking to her that I lost track of the time. We stood and dusted the dirt off of our clothes. I ached at the thought of letting her go, even for the night. This sudden love for a stranger all made sense now. She started to walk back to her car, but I caught her hand in mine.

“Wait,” I pulled her back around to face me. Cupping her face in my hand, I brought her closer towards me and pressed my lips softly against hers. I never would have dared such a bold move with her scent as my weakness, but I felt a supernatural resolve deep within me and I knew that no matter what would happen, I would never scare her like that again. She was mine.


	4. Danger

Two blissful weeks went by quickly. Many of the girls at school were jealous of my witch, and some of the boys fantasized about beating me up and “saving” her from me. I couldn’t help but chuckle as scrawny Mike Newton thought of challenging me to a fight. Little did he know he would never survive if it came down to that. My Bella’s scent was still suffocating, but it was becoming easier to bear. I hadn’t risked kissing her again since that day in the meadow. The closest I would get was holding her hand and brief hugs in well-ventilated areas. It was my duty to protect her, even from myself. 

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. I didn’t have to read Bella’s mind to know that she was worried all day. When the final bell rang and I asked her about it as I walked her to her truck. She heaved a sigh and looked at me warily. “Don’t get jealous, okay?” I cocked my head and nodded for her to continue. “It’s my friend, Jacob. He’s been sick for over a month now. I finally got a hold of his dad on the phone last night but he said Jake was out with his friends in Port Angeles. If he was too sick to even answer the phone, what’s he doing hanging out at the movies?” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked up at the sky to stop her eyes from watering. 

“Maybe he recently felt better but didn’t want to risk passing it to you and wanted to see if his other friends would catch anything?” It was a weak argument, but it was all I had to try to make her feel better. She just shrugged and kept silent. I hated seeing my Bella upset, though one less guy who lusted after her was a plus in my book regardless. When we got to her truck she gave me a quick peck on the cheek and left without another word. She was really worried about this Jacob guy. Maybe I should find him and see what he really thought.

My thoughts were still on the situation when I walked into my home. I was meaning to go to my room and find more info on Jacob when Carlisle called a family meeting. We all piled into our dining room and sat around the barely used table. Carlisle looked worried, but he was keeping his thoughts vague. When we were all situated and ready to listen, his guard came down. The image in his head would’ve made my heart stop. I slammed my palms on the table and stood abruptly. “That can’t happen here! We have to do something!” The scene was burned into my mind. A body drained of blood lying in an alley in Seattle. Alice placed a hand on my arm and I sat back down reluctantly. 

“Another vampire is in the area. I found a body while running some errands in the city. I’m not worried about them coming here. If they do, we’ll explain this is our territory and they won’t encroach. This isn’t the first time this has happened Edward.” He gave me a pointed look. “Even so, given our new situation, we should talk about a plan to protect Bella and her father while they’re in town.” Rose scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“What, so we’re supposed to just drop everything for a human?” She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Emmett looked between her and me, torn. He didn’t want to hurt either of us by choosing sides. 

“Rosalie, she isn’t just ‘some human’. She’s Edward’s mate and a part of this family.” Esme tried to reason with her. 

“We haven’t even actually met her yet!” Rose’s voice increased in volume.

“She’s going to be one of us one day. She’s going to marry Edward and be my best friend, and you will grow to love her one day too. Trust me.” Alice was so sure of this future. I tried my best to not think that far ahead.

After more arguments from Rose, eventually, she agreed to help protect Bella with the promise of more time away with Emmett before we moved on again. After that, I spent every day with Bella, making sure she was safe. Someone else would take over when I needed to hunt. It only took four more days before the scent of an unknown vampire was on our doorstep. Alice saw them coming about an hour before they arrived. Carlisle told me to watch my temper and behave; after all, they weren’t here to purposefully hurt Bella. They were just travelers. Still, any threat to Bella made me wary.

We all arranged ourselves around the living room, trying to act natural and Carlisle went to answer the door. He invited the strangers in. The tall dark one introduced them as Victoria, James, and Laurant. They got curious when they caught our scent; apparently, they’ve been in the area for about a month. They seemed civil enough, though the red-haired woman had a haughty air about her. Everything was going better than I expected. They apologized for hunting so close to our territory and agreed to move on before feeding again, asked us questions about our vegetarian lifestyle, and just chatted amicably in general. My mind was set at ease and wasn't so worried about them after that until they decided to take their leave. I went to shake hands with James when he faltered. His thoughts betrayed the calm look on his face. He caught a hint of Bella’s scent on my sleeve and he was almost as frenzied as I was when I first smelled it. He meant to track her tonight, he didn’t care about the promise to Carlisle. He thought of making it look like a bear attack.

I was already forming a plan when the door shut behind them. Alice gasped and gripped my arm, terror shining in her golden eyes. “He’s going after her!” That was all she said before I sped out the door and to my Bella as fast as I could. As I ran, I called her on my cell. She picked up right away, greeting me with a smile in her voice. I tried to control my panic but it was nearly impossible. 

“Pack a bag, we’re leaving immediately. Don’t ask questions, just do as I say! I’m outside.” I hung up before she could respond, staking out her house and checking the perimeter. Her father was out fishing with some friends so I wouldn’t have to worry about him for a while. I’d have Emmett and Jasper watch over him when he returns, but he was just a secondary worry. 

Bella came storming out of her house in a fury, no luggage in sight except the small satchel she always wore containing her spellbook. “Who do you think you are bossing me around like that? You may be my soulmate but you are not allowed to treat me like that!” She waited for an answer with her hands on her hips. My eyes kept darting around looking for danger. I listened intently for any thoughts around me. “My Bella,” I cupped her face in my hands and her eyes softened just a bit. “I’m sorry for being harsh. I really must insist though. You have to pack and we have to leave now. We’ll be back soon, don’t worry. We need to go on, ah, a trip! Yes, we’re going on a trip.” 

She didn’t believe me. She raised an eyebrow and stepped back out of my reach. “I’m not an idiot Edward. I know you’re lying to me. Honestly, all you’ve ever done since I met you was lie. If you can’t be honest with me, you should probably just go. For good.” She looked hurt as she turned to go back into her house. I panicked again, trying to find a way to convey the danger without outing us to her. Then I heard it. James had found her scent and was almost here. My mind went blank as I ran to her, scooped her up in my arms, and ran as fast as I could to the southeast. 

Bella held on to me for dear life as the forest passed by us in a blur. James’s thoughts quieted as we left him far behind us. I ran in weird patterns, doubling back at times, trying to mess up the scent and confuse him. I even ran through a shallow lake a couple of times. After what felt like days, I finally slowed and came to a stop next to a sign that said “Welcome to Texas God bless!” 

I sat Bella down on the ground under the shade of a tall tree sprouting up next to the small road. She shook like a leaf and retched a few times. When her stomach was emptied, she glared at me. “I am so mad at you Edward Cullen! But first, I’m so dizzy. I need to lay down.” She threw her arm over her eyes and laid back in the grass, breathing heavily. I decided to give her some space to calm down and glanced at the welcome sign apprehensively. This was much farther south than was safe, but hopefully, that would deter James too. Luckily, it was overcast today so I wouldn’t be in danger of the sun. Jasper would be jealous, but I have bigger things to worry about. 

When Bella felt fine enough to stand, we walked at a normal pace together until we found a small B&B. They had a vacancy and I was able to rent us a room for the next week. I found out that we were in a small town called Little Sandy Creek. How charming. It would be romantic if Bella wasn’t so furious with me. The second we were alone in our cozy little room, she whirled on me and punched me as hard as she could in the stomach. I didn’t feel a thing, but it hurt regardless. I hated to see my Bella so angry with me. 

“What the hell was that? How did we end up in Texas? Why are we here? Where’s my dad?” Each question was punctuated by another small punch and her voice rose higher and higher in hysteria. I guess there was no point in hiding it anymore, obviously. She wiped angrily at the tears that were falling down her cheeks as she suppressed her sobs. I placed my hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her to sit on the bed. I knelt in front of her, rubbing my thumbs along her arms the way she liked best. 

“I am so sorry Bella, you have no idea. I’m so sorry. I need you to listen to me, okay?” She was still crying but she nodded in agreement and didn’t protest. “I had to take you away from Forks. My family and I, we’re...different. You know that. I’m not really allowed to tell you why, for your own safety, but it’s too late for that.” I took a deep breath before coming out with it. “I’m a vampire, Bella.” I gauged her reaction but she didn’t even blink. She just sighed and shook her head slowly. 

“I figured. I didn’t want to say anything, I wanted to let you tell me in your own time. I’m a witch, remember? I’m not so normal myself. I was curious about you after you moved here and I read up on it a bit. That’s why you ran off, isn’t it?” I nodded, dropping my head in shame. She lifted my face up to hers again, smoothing my hair off my forehead. “It’s okay, you didn’t hurt me. You won’t hurt me. I’m not scared of you. What I am scared of, is why the hell are we suddenly in Texas?” 

I stood and paced the room as I explained what had happened with James. She paled and jumped to her feet. “We have to go back!” She yelled, scrambling to grab her spell book out of her bag, flipping through the pages furiously. 

“Are you crazy? We can’t go back! They’ll kill you!” She slammed her book shut with a snap and glared at me, tears pooling in her eyes again. “That’s exactly why!” She yelled, “We can’t just leave Charlie there all alone! He’s weak, he’s-he’s” She plopped on the bed again, burying her head in her hands, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. I sat beside her and held her as she cried, stroking her hair, rubbing her back. Finally, she steadied her breath and wiped her eyes. “Charlie has cancer.” I stilled, not expecting that. No one had thought about it so I had no idea. Wouldn’t Carlisle of all people know about that? She continued, “We found out about a year ago. No one else but me, his boss, and Renee know about it. He didn’t want to pursue treatments and just wanted it to progress naturally. There isn’t much we could do anyway. It’s too close to his brain for surgery and chemo would just lower his quality of life.” That explains why Carlisle didn’t know. “He won’t be able to defend himself. Even at his job, he’s been reduced to paperwork duty. He needs me, Edward, now more than ever!” Her eyes begged me to take her home and my heart ached for her.

“My dear, you can’t go home. James is after you, not your dad. Jasper and Emmett are protecting him at all times, and trust me, James wouldn’t care about him anyway. He’s the type that likes a challenge and a weak old man who’s protected isn’t worth it.” She relaxed a bit and nodded in understanding. She opened her spell book up again and turned to a page with an intricate key drawn on. She stood and walked to the door, waving her hand and indicating over it until it glowed blue and faded to its normal brown. She did the same with the windows. 

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“It’s a minor protection spell. It won’t protect us from an angry vampire, but it will at least make it harder on him. I’m not strong enough to cast the major spells yet. I’m still relatively new to this.” She told me how she came to be a witch. “After Charlie got diagnosed, I was desperate to find a way to help him. I found an old mythic shop in Port Angeles and even though I didn’t believe in that stuff, I went in anyway. The old lady working there could sense I was in need, and she gave me my book and taught me the basics. She died before I could learn all I needed, but I know enough now that I can teach myself, it’s just slow going. I’m worried it’s too slow. But I haven’t found another real witch since Agatha died. Everyone else has just been a phony.” She yawned, and I glanced at the clock. It was almost 2am. 

“Here,” I lifted the covers next to me on the bed and motioned for her to lay under them. “It’s late. You need to sleep.” She glanced at the door with worry and opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it. “I don’t need sleep. I’ll protect you, I promise.” She gave in and crawled under the covers. I stayed on top of them, not wanting to completely freeze her, but I laid close to her regardless, stroking her hair until her breathing slowed. Hopefully, after a week, James will lose interest and we could go back. Bella would call Charlie in the morning and make up a story about visiting a friend or something. Until then, I preoccupied myself with watching for James and listening to Bella mumbling nonsense in her sleep.


End file.
